The Renovation to Support Equity in Industry and Public Safety project at Rochester Community Technical College, Heintz Center will transform approximately 31,642 sq.ft. of the interior south (1100 and 1200) suites at Heintz Center to reflect 21st century teaching methods and pedagogy by creating safe and modern lab environments and consolidate now-disparate program spaces. The renovation will create an inclusive and equitable environment that facilitates collaboration, recruitment, a sense of community, and will be welcoming to all. The Heintz Center project will significantly renovate interior spaces to create welcoming and inclusive spaces to foster and increase diversity and enrollment in the high-demand Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs to better reflect the City of Rochester’s diversity. Improvements will affect these programs: Facility and Service Technology (FAST), Peace Officer/Criminal Justice, Welding, and Automotive Technology, with inclusive support spaces. Modernization will update A/V and IT technology for classrooms and labs; increase flexibility and adaptability to accommodate both active and traditional learning; and provide effective, more acoustically supportive environments. All existing lighting will be replaced with LED. Further, improvements will increase visibility into and out of renovated spaces and make wayfinding more intuitive. The open long, undifferentiated corridors with windows into labs, and day light-infused spaces with overhead light monitors for student and faculty well-being. The project will “pull back the curtain” to put learning on display, de-mystify the work taking place in labs, and allow for passersby and prospective students on tours to learn more about these programs without interrupting classes. Giving all students time to discover the technical programs at their own pace by situating formal learning spaces (labs) with informal learning (collaboration spaces), will pique curiosity and create a more welcoming environment. The project will make extensive use of existing equipment, mechanical systems, and existing spaces. Moving Peace Officer/Criminal Justice program spaces will free up space for FAST Labs to improve adjacencies and right-size for better learning experiences
